February 22, 2017

The Box

'The Remains'

A farmer had gotten so
old that he could no longer work in the fields anymore. So he would sit on his
porch and just spend the day. His son, still working hard, would look up from
time to time and see his father sitting there. “He’s of no use any more,” the
son thought to himself, “he doesn’t do anything!” One day the son got so
frustrated by this, that he built a wood coffin, dragged it over to the porch,
and told his father to get in. Without saying anything, the father climbed
inside. After closing the lid, the son dragged the coffin to the edge of the
farm where there was a high cliff. As he approached the edge, he heard a
tapping on the lid from inside the coffin. He opened it up. Lying there
peacefully, the father looked up at his son. “I know you are going to throw me
over the cliff, but before you do, may I suggest something?” “What is it?” replied
the son. “Throw me over the cliff, if you like,” said the father, “but save
this good wood coffin. Your children might need to use it.”